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Beltre claims AL Player of Month honors

Beltre claims AL Player of Month honors

9/27/11: Adrian Beltre takes Jerome Williams deep to left field with a solo homer, giving the Rangers a four-run lead

By Joey Nowak
/
MLB.com |

When it came to home runs, RBIs and slugging percentage, there was nobody better in baseball this month than Adrian Beltre. For that effort, he was named the American League Player of the Month.

The Rangers third baseman paced the Major Leagues in homers (12), RBIs (29) and slugging (.778) while also hitting .374 with four doubles and 21 runs scored in 24 games.

It is his second career Player of the Month honor (previously in September 2004 while with the Dodgers).

Beltre went 4-for-5 with a double, two homers, two runs and three RBIs in an 8-1 Rangers win against the Athletics on Sept. 11 in Arlington. His first homer in that game, a two-run blast in the fifth inning, was the 300th of his 14-year career.

He boosted the Texas offense again on Sept. 20, when his one homer and three RBIs helped the Rangers to a 7-2 win against the A's. Beltre was also 3-for-4 with a solo homer and two runs as the Rangers hammered the Mariners, 12-5, on Sept. 25. His homer that day was one of the Rangers' four that night as the club finished their season with a 52-29 record at home.

Beltre also worked a 19-game hitting streak before going hitless on Sept. 16. In that span, he was 30-for-76 (.395) with eight doubles, six homers, 19 RBIs and 16 runs. His month also ended on a 10-game hitting streak, during which he hit 16-for-42 (.381).

He finished the year batting .296 with 33 doubles, 32 homers and 105 RBIs in 124 games.